Ancient Buddhist Site in Afghanistan Slated for Destruction

A dozen archaeologists and 100 Afghan laborers are racing against time to salvage as much archaeological material as possible before December at Mes Aynak, Afghanistan.

Filmmaker Brent Huffman has reported that right below the extensive monasteries and ruins, there is believed to be $100 billion in copper. A Chinese mining company has scheduled destruction of the entire ruin complex for December 2012. This has required that an excavation that would usually take 35 years be completed in less than 2.

Huffman reports that local villagers are working with the Taliban to attack the archaeologists, placing land mines in the roads nearby. He fears that Afghanistan will see no benefit from the mine, believing that the Chinese will offer locals low paying laborer positions, but will be bringing in all their own managers. Huffman says that, if the Chinese mining company is able to pull this project off despite the ruins, that the model may be repeated all over Afghanistan.